Aston Villa 2 Brentford 2: Jonathan Kodjia denies Bees all three points after thriller at Villa Park

Kodjia rescued a point for Villa deep into injury time.
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Joe Krishnan22 August 2018

Brentford had to settle for a point after Jonathan Kodjia's 95th-minute header salvaged a 2-2 draw for Aston Villa in an entertaining clash at Villa Park.

It looked as though Neal Maupay had won it for Dean Smith's side after the Frenchman's double handed Brentford the lead inside the final eight minutes. The striker could find himself in hot water however after appearing to stamp on John McGinn in the first half.

But Kodjia, who had equalised late in the first half, was the saviour once again when the home side looked to be heading for their first defeat of the season.

Maupay put his side ahead against the run of play after 23 minutes, smashing a half-volley into the roof of the net after a clever knock-down from Ollie Watkins. But a sublime solo goal from Kodja levelled the contest five minutes before half-time.

It was a thrilling first-half full of end-to-end action and chances aplenty. But both sides could have been a man down after separate incidents involving the goalscorers Kodja and Maupay.

Kodja chased Ezri Konsa back into his own half and raked his studs down the midfielder's Achilles. Referee Jonathan Moss pulled out the yellow card but it could have easily been an early bath for the striker.

Maupay then went from hero to villain shortly after opening the scoring, appearing to stamp on John McGinn's leg while the Scot was on the floor.

It seemed that Moss did not to see the incident but the Frenchman could be in trouble if the FA decide to look into the incident.

Aston Villa responded well to going behind having been the better side before the goal and after a spell of sustained pressure on the Brentford goal, went close through Kodja.

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But Brentford looked the better of the two sides towards the end and with just eight minutes left, it was Maupay who was first to react when Nyland parried Ollie Watkins' strike.

The action wasn't finished there, however. With five minutes of added time, Kodja rose highest to meet McGinn's free-kick and head over Dan Bentley in the dying seconds to snatch a late point for the home side.

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